A Decade of Creativity in Digital Out of Home

Digital out of Home is a medium with infinite creative possibilities, and over the last decade Ocean has worked with media, creative and technology teams to facilitate some incredible uses of screen technology in an out of home context, integrated the latest technology with moving image, and punctuated immersive experiences, all of which has allowed us to redefine human engagement.

Help us to decide the Grand Prix Winner

Before we launch the 10th Ocean Digital Creative Competition in July we are looking back and celebrating the incredible campaigns which were pioneered by the competition, bringing a new dimension to what is possible in screen advertising.

Good luck, and thank you for being part of this incredible journey of digital out of home.

We would like you to help us decide what the most influential creative idea has been across the last decade.

Which has influenced the progression of the medium?

Which has integrated technology with creative ideas?

Which has delivered a simple brand message succinctly and in the right environment for its audience?

And which has inspired more people to think different in this space?

How do I vote?

Below, in alphabetical order, we have listed each of the campaigns to go live from the winning campaigns of each year.

Please review each video and explanation, and then submit your ONE WINNING VOTE at the bottom of this page by clicking the "Vote Now" button.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 19th June at Ocean’s event at the Cannes Lions.
For more information and to attend, contact helen.haines@oceanoutdoor.com

The Nominees

1.The Brain Tumour Charity
“Mind Pong”

Submitted by: M&C Saatchi

An interactive game controlled by the power of the mind alone was created.

Consumers were given the opportunity to use EEG technology combined with the large format, full motion digital out of home screen to play a game of Mind Pong against a competitor – using only the mind to control the paddle.

Winner in 2013: This was a unique use of a screen for gamification, and an immersive experience fro participants.

2.British Airways
“Caribbean Live”

Submitted by: BEING

This live, interactive concept promoted that British Airways flies to more Caribbean destinations than its competitors.

The competition invited shoppers to interact with two holidaymakers through live video feed as they relaxed on a beach. Players were able to text questions guessing which Caribbean island they were on, to win a stay at that location.

Live in 2010. This true media first winning campaign went on to be shortlisted for 3 Cannes Lions.

3.British Dyslexia Association
“A Moment of Dyslexia”

Submitted by: Leo Burnett

In a bid to create a more dyslexic-friendly society, this campaign immersed the consumer in the world of dyslexia and drove donations, all in World Dyslexia Week.

Using long form copy on screens fitted with audience detection technology, the words and letters became jumbled and harder to read, the longer people stopped and looked at it.

Winner in 2017: The integrated detection technology facilitated the Creativity of this impactful campaign.

4.Born Free
“Free Me From This Poster”

Submitted by: ENGINE

Marking World Orca Day, Ocean’s spectacular large format full motion screens were transformed into virtual tanks, the size many real life tanks actually are.

Images of a killer whale inside the ‘tank’ digital screens were shown to individuals passing by who were invited to text a donation to Born Free, to ‘free’ the killer whales. Once sufficient money was raised, the killer whale was seen to leap out of the screen and swim around other nearby screens.

Winner in 2016: This campaign was multi-award winning, including Gold in the Creative Circle’s Best Use of Outdoor category

5.Churchill Insurance
“Churchie’s Drive-Thru Car Insurance”

Submitted by: ENGINE

A cheeky spin on the use of Vehicle Detection Technology to serve personalised messages to drivers.

Featuring Churchie the iconic dog, vehicles were targeted at traffic lights using a retro, American drive-through diner themed campaign which focused on Churchill’s fast, efficient service. By monitoring the make, model and colour of passing vehicles, Churchie serves personalised messages to get people engaged with the finer points of the customer offer.

Winner in 2016: Bringing digital out of home technology, data and creativity together.

6.City to Sea
“Hydration Station”

Submitted by: 23red

This initiative included a physical addition to digital out of home screens, by turning selected Ocean screens into hydration stations.

People were given two options: either to refill their water bottles, or find out where find one of the nearest 12,000 refill locations were using the Refill app. Each time the water fountain was used, one of the countless discarded plastic bottles littering the actual screen disappeared and the user was thanked. A totaliser showed how many plastic bottles had been saved by switching to a cheaper, refillable bottle.

Winner in 2018: The digital screen became both directional and creatively impactful.

7.Compassion in World Farming
“World’s First Really Live feed”

Submitted by: Elvis

The public were invited to show their support for free range farming and better welfare standards by linking them live to a free-range pig farm via Ocean’s Eat Street screen at Westfield.

The public, invited to feed the pigs by texting a number and donating £1, were sent a unique URL connecting them to an online broadcast and an accelerometer for their phone, to operate a machine that then scattered apples for the pigs in the field. Once fed, a personalised message of thanks appeared on the screen.

Winner in 2012: The live feed angle and the clever use of technology caught fire from a PR perspective, and successfully extended the reach and appeal of the campaign.

8.Dulux
“Let’s Colour the World”

Submitted by: MullenLowe London

Dulux invited citizens of London and Amsterdam to add colour to each other’s lives, using a live link connecting the two European capitals, using Ocean’s alliance network.

In an 8 hour live stream between the cities, people connected to their local screen live via their phone and coloured an international landmark in the other city in real time through an app mechanic. Individuals submitted their image to their home DOOH screen along with a selfie and a flag, and this was then transmitted to the other city’s screen.

Winner in 2017: This was an international media first, using colour and technology to bring people together.

9.Microloan Foundation
“Pennies for life”

Submitted by: DLKW Lowe

Pennies For Life used the screen to create a giant, interactive picture of an African woman made up of pennies, over a weekend.

Shoppers text the word “change”, their name and a £1 donation. The donor’s name appeared with a thank you message and the donation triggered a hand full of pennies to appear on the screen and drop into the uncompleted image. The more people text, the faster the picture grew.

Winner in 2011: This visually stunning campaign went on to win Gold at Cannes and helped to ensure that 21 business loans were secured as a result of the activity, helping a total over 100 individuals in Africa.

10.National Aids Trust
“Rock the Ribbon”

Submitted by: St. Luke’s Communications

The National AIDS Trust used World AIDS Day to bring its red ribbon to life with a brilliantly original sense of positivity and spirit.

Motion gesture technology was used in conjunction with large full motion digital out of home screens, to transform people into virtual red ribbons which dance on the screens, mirroring the participants’ gestures and moves.

Winner in 2018: This campaign delivered an engaging and shareable consumer experience, using integrated technology with the screens

11.NHS Blood and Transplant
“The Virtual Blood Donation”

Submitted by: 23red

Designed to address a drop in the number of blood donors, this virtual donation campaign shows the transformational effect of giving blood.

Passers-by connected their mobile to a microsite and "uploaded" a virtual donation which automatically filled a bag on the large digital screen. As more blood flowed, a patient featured on the screen became healthier, physically demonstrating the difference giving blood can make.

Winner in 2015: A simple and powerful creative execution, integrating the use of an augmented reality app via the phone for donation.

12.Nokia
“ #iSPY”

Submitted by: Twitter

A UK wide interactive game of #iSpy, powered by the social media platform Twitter to showcase the superior photographic and zoom capabilities of the Nokia 1020 smart phone.

Live tweets broadcast on Ocean’s full motion screen gave clues to a series of famous landmarks. Players used their mobiles to guess the landmark names via their Twitter account, with selected online Tweets featured on the screen as they were made. The Nokia zoom function was used to hone in on the featured sites, helping players with their guesses. Those who answered correctly had a chance to win a Nokia 1020.

Winner in 2012: Twitter turned to digital out of home in a UK media first. A hugely scalable and exciting proposition, linking both social media and digital out of home.

13.Public Health England
“One You Active 10”

Submitted by: 23red

Public Health England used the power of digital out of home to encourage people to be more active.

Individuals were encouraged to walk in a 10 min radius of the DOOH campaign location and offered time sensitive, healthy rewards which could be redeemed when they reached their destination.

It engaged with and incentivised people to understand their area whilst being more active.

14.RSPCA
“Play with Pooch”

Submitted by: Kinetic & Mediacom

Abandoned dogs in need of a home starred in this interactive digital out of home campaign.

Live interaction via phones or iPads allowed users to play with the dogs via the big screens, talk to them through their phone and throw them rewards. At the end of the session, the dogs’ backstories were told and people could register to either adopt a dog or donate to the charity which rescued them.

Winner in 2015: This was seen as an engaging campaign using live streaming, and the fulfilment mechanism really delivers.

15.Sea Change
“The Sea Is the Sky”

Submitted by: Glimpse & DOOH.com

This campaign looked to improve ocean literacy across the UK and Europe by making a clever connection between cities and the seas in a digital out-of-home campaign which is triggered by rainfall from the ocean.

When it rained, different animations were triggered, each depicting a rich variety of marine life in an upside down world with the sea at the top and the sky below to unlock community action by simply reminding people that the sea is the sky. By making the ocean tangible no matter where you live, the collective wanted to get people thinking “ocean” every time they feel the rain.

Winner in 2018: This clever association between our cities and the sea was an imaginative demonstration of the creative and technical capabilities of digital out of home and its power to communicate a very important message.

16.Sky Ocean Rescue
“The Ocean’s Most Terrifying Killer”

Submitted by: ENGINE

Nowhere is a piece of plastic more prevalent than at shopping centres, and this was brought to life on World Ocean Day.

Ocean’s full motion digital out of home locations were transformed into deep-sea worlds of menacing shapes casting strange shadows. People connected to the screen via the free wifi turning their phone into a virtual torch, and shining it on the menacing shadow. Their torch reveals that the biggest threat to our oceans isn’t sharks or sea-monsters, it’s plastic.

Winner in 2017: Simple, powerful, effective use of connectivity between mobile and DOOH, to convey a crucial brand message.

17.Space for Giants
“March for Giants”

Submitted by: 18 Feet and Rising

This campaign was designed to stop the slaughter for ivory of African elephants, mobilising the public and companies to be aware and donate.

Personalised and branded virtual elephants, created as a result of donations, joined the march in real time in multiple countries. The elephants were seen marching across the world across 24 hours in different times zones.

Winner in 2016: The March for Giants transcended boundaries, appearing across some of the world’s most prominent and impactful DOOH media spaces, bringing global digital unity for an important cause.

18.Spinal Injuries Association
“Donate to Accelerate”

Submitted by: ENGINE

This campaign used digital out of home to bring an important message to the streets as people were given the chance to fast-forward full motion ads on Ocean’s The Loop network.

Shot from a first person perspective, the ads immersed people in how everyday tasks, like making tea or catching a bus are arduous for people with spinal injuries. Donations triggered the chance to fast forward the ad to a successful conclusion, showing how their support makes a difference.

Winner in 2018: This is an advertising first, displaying subtle, clever and imaginative creative to convey this important message.

19.Tate Britain
“Welcome to London”

Submitted by: Liveposter, Posterscope & Total Media

DOOH’s real time data capability showcased the Tate gallery’s extensive art catalogue of over 500 years of British art.

Unique executions using works of art were automatically triggered with day-part, prevailing road and weather conditions.

Winner in 2013: This promoted and reengaged Tate Britain with commuters, global citizens and corporate visitors.

20.Topshop
“#TopTrends”

Submitted by: Twitter

Twitter and TOPSHOP showcased emerging fashion trends live from London Fashion Week in a unique digital out of home collaboration broadcast across Ocean’s The Grid.

Listening to the industry and influencers as they Tweeted, key trends emerged and they appeared in the TOPSHOP trend cloud as hashtags; #colourblocking, #pleats and #utility. The campaign then invited customers to Tweet @Topshop using one of the trend hashtags to receive a curated shopping list inspired by the trend.

Winner in 2014: DOOH democratising fashion.

21.Warner Brothers
“Legends of the guardians”

Expert use of digital out of home creative, maximising capabilities of motion within screens.

Winner in 2010: Creative was designed specifically for each screen, consequently capturing the essence of what digital out of home advertising is all about. Digital technology used at its most effective.

22.Women’s Aid
“Look at Me”

Submitted by: ENGINE

This unique and world first interactive campaign, timed to coincide with International Women’s Day, showed how we can all make tangible changes in the fight against domestic violence.

The campaign for the first time used the gaze tracking element of facial recognition technology to identify exactly how many people were looking at the creative of a bruised woman’s face. The more people that looked at the screen, the more the bruises and scars disappeared. The image of the beaten woman continued to change whilst people looked at the screen and looked away, ensuring the message really hit home.

Winner in 2014: This campaign went on to win over 29 global awards including both a Cannes Lions Gold & Silver, and is the epitome of when creativity and technology merge to deliver excellence.

23.Xbox
“Xbox Gaming Tourism”

Submitted by: McCann London

To promote their better-looking Enhanced games, Xbox are turning DOOH screens into immersive portals between the real and virtual worlds.

Two Live streamed tours hosted by a gaming expert will use Ocean’s LookOut technology, allowing people to explore breath-taking virtual landscapes, control the game camera at points of interest and ask questions.

Winner in 2018 (Live in April 2019): This concept allows gaming to deliver immersive experiences, taking people to a new imaginary world.

Ready to Vote?

If you've reviewed the entries and picked your winner, click the button below to cast your vote. Remember, you can only vote once!